Stop & Shop to begin converting Waldbaum's, Pathmark stores

Signs of change were apparent Monday, Sept. 21, 2015, at a Waldbaum's in Huntington as supermarket operator Great Atlantic & Pacific Tea Co. won bankruptcy court approval to sell 95 of its stores for $370 million, including nine on Long Island. Photo Credit: Phil Nobile

Signs of change were apparent Monday, Sept. 21, 2015, at a Waldbaum's in Huntington as supermarket operator Great Atlantic & Pacific Tea Co. won bankruptcy court approval to sell 95 of its stores for $370 million, including nine on Long Island. (Credit: Phil Nobile)

Stop & Shop Supermarket Co. will begin converting nine Long Island grocery stores it acquired from the Great Atlantic & Pacific Tea Co., closing the locations for about a week before they reopen under the Stop & Shop banner.

Conversions will also take place at 16 stores off Long Island that Stop & Shop acquired from A&P, which is in Chapter 11 bankruptcy.

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Stop & Shop Supermarket Co. will begin converting nine Long Island grocery stores it acquired from the Great Atlantic & Pacific Tea Co., closing the locations for about a week before they reopen under the Stop & Shop banner.

Conversions will also take place at 16 stores off Long Island that Stop & Shop acquired from A&P, which is in Chapter 11 bankruptcy.

The first wave of Stop & Shop grand openings is planned for Oct. 16 and will include the Waldbaum's stores in East Hampton and Southampton, along with locations in the Bronx, Ozone Park, Queens and Brooklyn.

"We are very excited to begin the store conversion process, and we will strive to minimize the inconvenience to customers," Don Sussman, president of Stop & Shop New York Metro Division, said in a statement. "We're also pleased to welcome approximately 3,000 former A&P store associates to Stop & Shop, so shoppers should look forward to seeing many of the same friendly faces."

Company officials said the nine Long Island stores have about 1,100 workers.

During the process, groups of up to five stores will close for about 7 days, but pharmacies and banks within the locations will remain open. The stores will reopen as Stop & Shops and have new decor, refrigeration systems and lighting, as well as other improvements. Modifications at all of the stores are expected to be completed by Nov. 13.

Aside from the stores in the Hamptons, the other Long Island stores bought by Stop & Shop include Waldbaum's locations in Baldwin; Hicksville Road in Massapequa; Long Beach and Huntington; and Pathmarks in Greenvale, Seaford and Franklin Square.